Bottle carrier



May 26, 1942. R. c. MARsHAL| JR BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Feb. 6, 1941 Gtfomeg Patented May 26, 1912 nieharo c.f Marshauyn, Kansas city, M6., assgnor to Edward N..Crook, Johnson County,

J :Appiieation 'February '6,11941, serial No. '377,593 o This invention relates to bottle carriers of.

collapsible or foldable character customarily made of paste or cardboard formed from a single rectangular blank or-stripV cut` and folded to position. Y One of my objects is to produce a carton or carrier of this kind adapted to receive two distinct rows of bottles onopposite sides of a centralosection that preferably forms a suspension or carrying handle, of suchnature that stock and storage space maybe saved by reducing the width of the `blank to .permit the bottles of each row to come linto contact with each other whereby the bottles of eachrow mutually cooperate ,together` in attaining their final positions in the carrier..

A further object of the inventionl is to provide f a carrier of such nature that the entire load on the center carrying. handle isnot applied in a 4 single horizontal plane, but is Aspaced or stepped to more widely distribute the load and thus reduce the chance of tearing the carrier.- f

Another object of the invention is to provid a construction of`such nature that a large area of certain of the bottles is exposed for display purposes, theconstruction `being'such however, that the exposed bottles are reliablyy held in position by at least one bottle of each row being almost completely enclosed, such enclosed bottle acting as a lock or securing member to hold the encircling the necks of the bottles, such constructions either adding to the cost of the carriers or slowing down the lling or loading of the carriers when in use.

With the general objects named in view and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carrier embodying the invention showing bottles in position in the carrier in full lines, and indicating, in dotted lines, the manner of placing the pair of end bottles of each row, before the center or third bottle is posiicned.

Figure 2 is a top plan view embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a view disclosing one-half of the carrier in full end view and the other half in central vertical section. Y l Figure 4 is a reduced perspective view of the carrier als it appears ready to receive the two rows of bottles. A

Bottle carriers ofthis generaltype have heretofore involved two fundamental concepts of construction; Iirstly, to form a complete enclosure for strength, the bottles being substantially hidden from view; and-secondly, to provide a skeleton carrier to expose the greatest possible area of the bottles, with .a corresponding sacrifice vin strength. The carrier of the present invention produces an optimum construction, intermediate the full enclosure and the skeleton exposure, while preserving to a very large measure, the advantages of both of the earlier types, without the use of auxiliary folding or additional strips, aps orparts, as distinct from a single blank of rectangular material.

The carrier of the invention, therefore, provides the following construction: a single blank o f suitable material is scored and folded on opposite sidesof its median or center line to form a bottom l of width toreceive apair of rows of bottles on opposite sides of its center. Inl the drawing, each row is shown as comprising three bottles B.

The opposite longitudinal edges of the bottom are folded upwardly to provide a pair of vertical side walls preferably arranged in sections of varying height above the bottom as hereinafter identied. In the construction as shown, there is a pair of end'sections 2 of equal height, and a central or intermediate section 3 of considerably greater height. The side walls sections 2 and the intermediate wall sections 3 are connected by pairs of partitions and sustaining members or portions 4 and 5 respectively, to the terminal or end portions 6 of the carrier. The terminal or end portions 6 are in fiatwise abutting relation vertically spaced above and coinciding with the plane of the median or center line of the bottom I of the carrier, forming a fold line la.

The terminal sections 6 of the carrier are preferably permanently secured against separating movement under the load of the bottles by any suitable means, such as the staples 1 or the like, and by preference are provided with a hand receiving opening 8 adjacent their upper ends, a part 9 stamped and folded out of one of the end sections through the opening 8 in theother of the loaded carrier section, providing a smoother and more comfortable handle or grip. With this construction trated in a single horiaimtal plane. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, itwill be noted that the horixontal distance at the point of greatest spacing between parallel perpendiculars passing through the proximate edg of the partitions l forming the central bottle compartment. is greater than the co distance between the proximate'edgesofthepairsofpartitionslandl forming the end bottleeompartments of each row. Inthearrangementshowmthewidthoi' the center compartment on the horizontal men-'- tioned, is by preference. Just a trifle greater than the maximum diameter' of a bottle for which the carrier is designed, and consequently it is possible to load the center compartment by a straight vertical downward movement of the bottle. 'I'he corresponding width of the end compartments between its partitions l and l, is materially less than the maximum diameters of the bottles, and consequently the end compartments may be loaded (without distortion of the material) only by placing the bottles in an inclined position as shown in dotted'lines in Figure 1. As the bottles are podtioned they may be gradually brought to the vertical as their tapering or reduced necks BN come into the horizontal plane of the upper partition I. If the end bottles when they finally come to rest in vertical position on the bottom I, are not in contact with the edge of the end partitions l, the parts are preferably so proportioned thatvwhcn the center bottle is inserted by vertical movement, it will contact the sides of the abutting end. bottles and will force them horizontally outward toward the end partitions I, until the bottles occupy their full line positionsasshowninl'igurc2. Itwillthusbeseen that although large areas of the end bottles are exposed, they are held snugly in position against tipping parallel to the side walls, by the upper partitions I coming into contact with the reduced bottle necks BN, while their bottoms or wide portions come into abutment with the partitions l. It will also be noted that the partitions l and I at their'edges adjacent 'the bottles, are

being in atwise abutting position vertically abovethe longitudinal center of the bottom' to form a carrying handle, and partition and sustaining members inclined upwardly from each side wall to its respective proximate terminal section in spaced relation to form a pair o! end bottle compartments and intermediate bottle compartments on each side of the handle, the partitions forming the intermediate compartments being in the plane oi.' the reduced bottle necks and spaced to accommodate the maximum diameter of a bottle, the partitions formingV the outer edges of the end compartments vbeing in a lower plane than the intermediate partitions, the horizontal distance between vertical planes coinciding with the margins of the partitions forming the end compartments being less than the corresponding distance of the partitions forming the intermediate compartments whereby the end bottles may be inserted or removed from the compartments onli? by inclination angularly between vertical and horizontal when the carrier is upright, the end bottles of each row having their maximum diameters in contact to maintain the proximate edges of the intermediate partitions in position for extended lengagement with the necks of the end bottles to reinforce said inclined partitions against distortion when a loaded carrier is suspendcdfrom the handle.

RICHARD C. MARSHALL, JR. 

